WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE EGYPTIANS?UNDERSTANDING “THE GREAT HYMN TO THE ATEN”

ENG 273: World Literature

History

3000 Years of Relative Peace and Prosperity Intermittent Periods of

Uncertainty

Agriculture Nile River

Irrigation Fertilization

Economic Prosperity Successful Military

Campaigns Few Outside Threats

Pharoahs

Strong Central Government

Pharoah = godlike Wielded Immense

Power Gain and then keep

power Strategy =

appointed by the gods

Display Wealth

Pyramids

Tombs for Pharoahs

Massive Architectural Projects

Very Expensive

Mummies

Religious Ceremony Preserve the Dead In

as Lifelike a State as Possible

Remove Moisture to Prevent Decay

Entombed Included Everything

Necessary to Enjoy the Afterlife

Expensive Process Pharoahs, Nobility

Hieroglyphics

One of the Earliest Written Languages

Complex Writing System

Translation was Impossible Until the Discovery and Study of the Rosetta Stone in the Nineteenth Century

The Bible

Joseph Sold Into Slavery in Egypt Becomes a Powerful

Official Moses

Adopted By Pharoah’s Daughter

Pleads with Pharoah to Release Israel from Slavery

Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus Flee to Egypt to Escape

Herod

Museums Egyptology: Study of Ancient

Egyptian Civilization

Egyptian Museum in Cairo Holds Largest Collection of Artifacts At Risk During Recent Turmoil

Looted, Damaged, and Burned

British Museum Has Over 100,000 Egyptian Artifacts Controversy: Should the

Artifacts Be Returned to Egypt?

Touring Exhibits King Tut

Folklore: The Pharoah’s Curse

Anyone Who Disturbs a Pharoah’s Tomb Will Be Cursed

King Tutankhamun Tomb Opened by Howard

Carter’s Team in 1922 “Mysterious” Deaths

Lord Carnarvon Died of Blood Poisoning

After A Mosquito Bite Became Aggravated During Shaving

Most of the Team Survived Into Old Age

Popular Culture: Music

The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv6tuzHUuuk

Steve Martin “King Tut”Saturday Night Live (1979)http://screen.yahoo.com/king-tut-000000724.html

Popular Culture: Movies

The Mummy (1999)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLnDT6uCr_I

The Mummy (1932)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i6xNScZRP4

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPmeEMWPMvI

What Do We Know About the Ancient Egyptians?

Mix of Influences History Legend Folklore Popular Culture Current Events

Leads To: Preconceived Ideas Misconceptions

How Can We Understand “The Great Hymn to the Aten”?

Take a Step Back Acknowledge Our Assumptions Put Aside Preconceptions

Identify Differences Morality Divinity Society

Look for Commonalities Awe of Nature Fear Death Search for Meaning in Life

Recognize That Some Concepts May Never Be Clear Missing/Broken Sources Lost in Translation Different, Ancient Culture

What Can We Learn From Egyptian Poetry?

Compare/Contrast Concepts Divinity Worship Royalty Power Glory Beauty Relationship to Nature

Identify “Timeless” Ideas Where did we come from? Why are we here?

Themes:“The Great Hymn to the Aten”

Divinity vs. Humanity

Worship Role of the “god/gods” in

People’s Lives Active? Passive?

Process of Worship Celebration? Sacrifice?

Relationship Between Ruler and Ruled “god king”

Experience of the Natural World